Glenn Collins’ team to honour his recovery after light plane crash with emotional sky tribute

A veteran pilot is making a remarkable recovery after a near-fatal crash, with the aviation community hopeful for his eventual return to flying.

Three weeks after nearly losing his life in a high-speed stunt plane crash at the Avalon Airshow, veteran pilot Glenn Collins is making a remarkable recovery, and his team is preparing an emotional tribute in the skies above Mudgee.

The aerobatic pilot, who has logged more than 2700 flight hours, remains in hospital with serious spinal and pelvic injuries after his aircraft crashed and skidded along the runway during a performance at the Avalon Australian International Airshow on March 28.

He was placed in an induced coma and spent a week in critical condition at Melbourne’s Alfred Hospital.

Mr Collins is now awake and recovering, with friend and fellow pilot Paul Bennet telling 9News his survival was “a miracle”.

“He’s beaten the odds at the moment and we’re stoked about it,” Mr Bennet said.

An aircraft crashed at the Avalon Airshow near Geelong on March 28. The single-seat biplane was seen performing an acrobatic manoeuvre before it crashed. Picture: NewsWire / David Caird

The incident occurred during a formation flight involving several planes. Mr Bennet, who was flying alongside Collins at the time, recalled the harrowing moment mid-air.

“I still didn’t realise, I don’t think the other guys did either,” he told 9News.

“We obviously had to get back together, so check one, check two, check three, check four. I got two and three and I didn’t get four.”

According to aviation experts, Mr Collins was incredibly fortunate.

The Australian Society of Air Safety Investigators’ past president John Guselli estimated the aircraft was travelling over 185km/h when it hit the ground, with the rear of the cockpit absorbing most of the impact.

“This situation likely minimised that impact,” Mr Guselli told the Herald Sun.

He said if Mr Collins had nosed dived, the aircraft “would have disintegrated”.

“I would be very surprised if anyone could survive something like that,” he said.

Glenn Collins was seriously injured after his light plane crashed while performing aerobatic manoeuvres at the Avalon Air Show near Geelong Source: Facebook

Former air force and commercial pilot Keith Tonkin agreed, saying a combination of aircraft design, pilot restraints, and sheer luck helped Mr Collins survive.

“The plane has impacted and continued to travel forward and he hasn’t sustained fatal injury, and on top of that was a hell of a lot of luck,” he said.

The crash remains under investigation by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau.

Paul Bennet Airshows cancelled the remainder of its Avalon performances out of respect for Collins, issuing a public statement the following day.

“The Bennet family and the Paul Bennet Airshows team are thinking of Glenn Collins, who remains in hospital, and his family at this time,” the statement read.

“We would like to acknowledge the extraordinary level of support from medical staff as well as messages of support received from here and around the world.”

Pilot Paul Bennet and his teammates are preparing a tribute flight at the Wings, Wheels & Wine event in Mudgee on Sunday. Picture: Supplied

Mr Collins, who is in his 50s, is no stranger to the skies or the competitive aerobatics circuit.

According to his biography on the Paul Bennet Airshows website, he has over 2700 flight hours, including 1000 in microlights and 500 as an instructor, as well as 83 skydives.

A champion aerobatics competitor, he claimed national titles between 1997 and 1999.

His commercial flying spans joy flights, aerobatics, banner towing, and warbird displays, with more than 15 years of airshow experience in a wide range of aircraft from microlights to vintage warbirds.

Now, his teammates are preparing a tribute flight at the Wings, Wheels & Wine event in Mudgee on Sunday.

“We’ll do a love heart in the middle and dedicate it to Glenn Collins and his family,” Mr Bennet told 9News.

Despite the crash, Mr Bennet said Mr Collins remains determined, and there’s hope he’ll one day return to the cockpit.

“He doesn’t want us to stop, he wants us to get going and almost pretend nothing ever happened,” he said.

“He’s really pulled through a miracle, hasn’t he?”

Originally published as Glenn Collins’ team to honour his recovery after light plane crash with emotional sky tribute